Odds and Even
by Aisuma
Summary: [1 Shot] Two odds always make an even.


Author: Still trying to get back into the swing of things. This is morely a practice in dialog. I'm not fully pleased with it though. Hope you enjoy.

_**Odds and Even**_

They are a team of five. So just by numbers one of them had to be the odd man out. He never minded though. He'd rather it be he than any of his friends. So while the rest of them began to party in their headquarters, he made his way to the rooftop to install new equipment. He did not expect to see the dark princess on top of the tower.

The lady of shadows keeps her legs crossed in a meditative state at the edge of the tower. Her violet eyes staring off into the nightlights of the city she's used to saving on a daily basis. Partying just isn't her style. Especially when it came to Terra.

Not that Raven has anything against Terra. Not anymore. Since her return from stone, she's proven herself. The last mission against the Master of Games proved successful. If hand not been for the little earth shaker's powers and quick thinking all the teen heroes would still be in a world of suffering. Which is why the party occurring now isn't just a massive celebration between all teen heroes because of their first battle together since the Brotherhood of Evil. The celebration is partly for Terra's return.

There is no bad blood between the two titans though. All before was in the past and forgiven although Raven would never forget…. So only partaking in the first hour of the celebration, dark teen decided to do her meditation in the only place that would be quite in Titans Tower. Something is bugging the night heroine and her mind just can't seem to identify it. "Hey Rae. Why are you up here now? Shouldn't you be down at the party right now?", the broad voice of her metallic teammate questions? "You know parties aren't really my thing. I just need some peace and quiet.", the smaller, caped titan states with her monotone voice. Cyborg only shrugs his shoulders and goes back to his own work.

The Azarath princess goes to the edge of the tower, where she allows the hood to fall from her head, legs crossed and elbows resting on her legs like she's done so many times. Letting her mind slip away from all troubles. Erasing the irritations and annoyances like Terra's presence and Beast Boy's corny jokes. Diminishing the anger and sorrows she's felt in previous battles. Smoldering all the hateful thoughts derived from her birth and supposed destiny. It is lucid. Peaceful. Serene. All except for that god forsaken annoying clink that would occur every couple of seconds.

The usually calm navy blue eyes whirl around to find the accomplice of the nerve bending noise. Her large teammate is working on another one of his mechanical projects. This one having him underneath a large tower, only his lower torso is revealed to the night sky. A few thick wormlike cords are draped around his legs with a small box next to him. From within the tall construction is the source of the noise.

"Could you make anymore noise? I can still hear myself think." Raven states a bit irritated. "Ohh. Sorry about that. I'll try and be more quiet." The dark blue eyes remain close returning back to her place of serenity, her area of tranquility. Then the sound of a metal bat hitting a frying pan occurs.

Serenity loss…Really why is it that everyone who says they'll be quieter only makes twice as much noise? Raven contemplates this as she uncrosses her legs and lets her feet carry her towards her teammate. The only way she is going to get peace is if he finished whatever he was doing. So the primary mission is to help him finish whatever his mechanical mind is trying to build.

Adjusting her dark blue cape and now making her new target Cyborg, Raven walks over toward her ally. "Do you need help?"

"Nahh. I'm pretty sure I got it." his voice replies followed by the sound of steel hitting steel and an obscene word.

"Right…you have everything under control."

"Ok maybe I could use a hand."

"What are you working on anyway?"

"Just installing some new equipment into our satellite system to make our lives easier with villains."

"Really so I guess this Game Station 3 is going to be the driving force in our future battles."

"Uhh…well..I I …yea something like that."

"Villains beware. We will find you with our almighty GS3."

"Ha. Ha. Now cut the sarcasm and help me."

"Who's being sarcastic?" Raven replies sarcastically. The half metal hero continues his work under the tower while the blue hair girl hands him any of the tools he needs. It's not the first time she's done this. Ever since the incident with the T-Car being stolen by that crazy computer chip, the two titans would work on the vehicle from time to time. He didn't mind cause it broke up the silence of the usual solitary labor. She didn't mind cause it was something new to learn and aside from the noise of metalwork he was quiet when crafting his toys.

Actually during these times she would be the chattier one. Her voice usually sticking to its calm apathy, but asking the boy questions which he was never afraid to reply. Their conversation tonight nothing too inspiring or riveting. Just the armored warrior explaining the importance of why his new game system needs to be implemented in the satellite. Apparently to 'whip the butt' of evil gamers across the entire net. "I don't get it. You save the world on a daily basis. Why play a game about it?" Raven asks handing the steel arm a wrench. Her blue eyes scan the newest games he's picked up for his new system. Steel Gear Solid 4: Loyalists Bullets, Defiance: Man's Collapse, Street Combat: Armageddon's 4th Strike, Shinobi Gaiden Omega, Protoman X43, Final Dream XIII. "He must of spent a king's fortune in one day." Raven thinks to herself as she gives him another tool. None of them really look interesting to her as she read some of the back covers. Although this one game, Resident Sin 5, looks interesting. Anything with horror seems interesting to the dark princess.

"You and Beast Boy have a long night with all these games."

"Nahh just me. BB and Terra have some catching up to do. That and he don't know I bought the Game Station 3."

"You didn't tell him?"

"Not as yet. If I did, then him and Terra would just be playing it all night. They need to talk and more importantly I want to get a turn."

"How noble of you…"

"He'll probably notice tomorrow. I used his and my money for it."

"Do you mean the money he keeps under his pillow?"

"Yep."

"You owe me money then."

"What!"

"That money was his that he owed to me."

"Uhh whoops."

"You're such a good example of chivalry…" Raven mutters out to the half robot that whistles innocently and continues on his work. Silence passes between the two for a few minutes before the red eye teen says something. "You could give me a hand under here." he asks tossing out a power drill from below the contraption. The child of the night kneels and scoots her head underneath the tower to see if she could make out his face.

Both his metallic arms are being used to hold up the giant system, which is why he needs a hand. Her blue eyes could see a bright light, most likely one of his shoulder armaments and vines of wires over him. "What do u need help with?" she asks hoping not needed to enter under this metal enclosure. "I need you to get under here and see if you can reach this switch for me." Just what she didn't want to do.

"Ok. Where is it?"

"It's right by my face. Just crawl on top of me so you can get it."

The girl mutters out a gesture of yes as she begins her wriggle between the steel boy and the metal construction. Within the shaded inclusion her small fingers slowly pat across the metallic surfaces trying to find her way to the destination. For a moment the robed titan places her head down on the metal below her, trying to evade her red jewel crashing into a solid bar from above. Her ear pressed against the solid armor, she could hear the slow rhythm of a life within it. The light gray face turns a slight red hue as she twists her body around to face the intended target. "I never realized you had a heart beat." she whispers out, more to herself. It really wasn't meant to leave her mind, but somehow escaped. Now that she heard she felt embarrassed. Of course he has a heartbeat. He's human after all.

"Thought I ran on Duracell? It's somewhere between steel and wires still ticking away." The much larger child chuckles out. "Sorry didn't mean for it to sound that way…" she apologizes. He just laughs it off yet Raven can't shake the feeling of being rude and closed-minded. "So why aren't you at the party?", the heroine asks changing the subject.

"Not my thing."

"That's my line. Besides last time we had a get together this big, you and Beast Boy had everyone doing the Cha Cha Slide."

"Ehh yea well that was different." the mechanical teen replies with an embarrassed chuckle. BB and him should have never bought that powder mix for punch from an old gypsy. They should have never drunk it all by themselves either. Cyborg should have learned his lesson from buying things from mysterious gypsies based on previous encounters before that. "I'm just the odd man out. That's all." he replies shinning the light toward the area as Raven swishes her hand through the cramped opening.

"You odd?"

"Yea. Our team is five people after all. Robin and Star bond well and then you and BB pretty much get along fine. Kind of leaves me out."

"You get along just fine with all of us."

"Yeah, but that's more of a big brother thing. Don't get me wrong I don't mind that role at all. You guys come to me with weird stuff like when Rob asked me about what to wear on his date with Star who asked me minutes before what would be most appealing to wear for Rob on his date. Then BB had me read like a hundred of his poems to see which one was best for you. Then of course there was that whole thing of me helping you trying to find a great present for BB's birthday."

"That's never supposed to be brought up.", Raven states blandly, with slight aggravation in her voice. The battle she and Cyborg went through that day against Gizmo, Kid Wykkyd and Seymour…. well the little viridian animorph had better enjoy his moped. Trying to forget that sickening ordeal the youth of Azarath once again fumbles in the little crevice for the device. Her fingers finally grip upon a cold wheel like mechanism. "Ok I think found it. Should I turn it?"

"Yea. Go for it." the semi robot states trying to shine the light at where her arm is. He still couldn't make out where her palm is, but it only then occurs to him that he said before it is a switch. Well memory proved to be behind schedule since as soon as Raven turns the valve the oil came pouring out. "Wrong one." the steel teen mutters wiping the slimy substance away from his light and red eye. "A little late with that information. I feel like Plasmus just spit on me." the irritated girl grumbles out wiping a slop of the tower's blood off her cheek.

Returning back to her work of finding the elusive switch that would put an end to this work and the beginning to her meditation. "You're not odd. If anything I'm the odd one out now that Terra is back." the cloaked telepath replies trying to shake the feeling of the black water slipping on top of her neck and other places on her body. Finally getting his shoulder light, to shine at the girl's arm, Cyborg finally responds. "Yeah, just keep moving your hand up there. Move it a bit to the left. It's around there. Now what do you mean you're the odd one out?"

"Well now that Terra is back it'll be easier for Beast Boy to talk with her. I guess maybe she understands him better."

"Girl what you saying? Terra said she's not staying. By the end of the week she'll be moving on her own journey."

"Yea, but who is to say Beast Boy won't go…."

"Aww. Isn't that cute. You got a little crushy."

"No. Not like that."

"You don't have to worry. He won't go anywhere. Although if he does leave you could always go and find yourself someone in the tower right now. Like Aqualad. Didn't you and Star have a crush on him?"

"That was before. Now the only fish I like is when it's on my plate and cooked."

"Well worse comes to worse you could always join up with Jinx and Argent. The three of you seem to be into that witchcraft stuff."

That comment earned him a nudge to the face from Raven's oily elbow. The soft cheek of the large boy winced slightly. "It was only a joke."

"Not funny. Why don't you try and chat with them so you're not the odd one out."

"Me??"

"Yeah. I heard Argent has a crush on you."

"Uhh. That's ok. I'm not into all that dark make up and evil worshipping stuff." Another comment that makes the girl of shadows cocks her head so one of her pupils could meet his. Her brow arches in suspecting glance. "Not into all that dark stuff. Those Sadie Hawkins pictures of you and Jinx say differently."

"Hey hey hey! I was undercover! I was strictly doing my job."

"Right. Guess you didn't know that Bumblebee showed us some of her pictures from the dance."

"Like what?!"

"One involving you, Jinx, and a broom closet that had a front row seat."

"Whaa!" Cyborg nearly screams out if only the rest of a sentence would come to his mouth. The only think he could think of at the moment is squashing the little bee that decided to make that public knowledge. If the metal teenager ever found that girl's diary… ohh swift vengeance indeed! Raven could only let out a smile at her blushing teammate. "Yea odd man my butt. Come on Casanova. We can leave I found the switch. All I have to do is flip it right? Hopefully there won't be any oil this time."

With the bane of all their troubles finally flicked the two titans make their crawl out of the bottom of the tower. Cyborg carefully resting down his craftsmanship and picking up his game box and wiping the oily substances from his body. His cyber and normal eyes glance as Raven shakes the black liquid from her hood and boots. His brain has to admit she is always the most fun to work with when it came to modifying and building equipment. Robin is always great to work with mechanical stuff, but he's always too critical when it came to some of the technology. He didn't make too many mistakes and when he did he couldn't really take it as a joke. Beast Boy always would have too much fun and the two friends would actually be taking a few steps back instead of forward. Finally with Starfire … well that is worse than the green changer. She is always fun to hang around with, but hi tech gizmos just aren't her forte. "Thanks a lot Rae. Couldn't have gotten it done without you. I'll leave you to meditate now."

"So you're still not going down to the party?"

"Nahh. I got to recharge anyway. I wouldn't want to just shut down and ruin all the fun. Beside I'll let the couples take over tonight. Don't worry though. Next time I'll be the life of the party." the gear filled boy replies with a wave of one of his arms. There were times he could be peculiar. Thank goodness those were very few times unlike the rest of the team. Raven could trust Beast Boy with some of her more personal secrets. Her heart could always find comfort there. She could always count on the times spent with Starfire to make her feel like a normal teenager. There times always give her joy. Robin is always dependable when it came to finding solutions to problems that seem hopeless. He could constantly find answers to her problems. The boy wonder could always give hope.

Cyborg just always had a way of keeping her at peace. Whether he does it on purpose or just on instincts is still a mystery, but he always knows just how to get people talking and smiling. His mind could always assess when to be aggressive and when to be passive within a conversation and how to initiate one. Cyborg is a challenge. Not just to Raven, but to everyone else too. You couldn't keep a grieving mood around him once he was cheerful. When Raven spends time with the mechanical hero its always fun. Despite all the wonderful things her friends give her, that fun she loves the most.

Now as her blue orbs stare at the city whatever reason she felt the need for seclusion and meditation has dissipated. She feels peaceful and happy. Well except for one thing. "When are you paying me back my money? I was saving that for a few books." The larger titan scratches his baldhead giving a few coughs. "Well you see about that…" The boy is never able to finish that sentence as the blue hair teen strolls up to him. Her palm quickly takes hold of one of the game cases within the titanium hand and holds the case up to eye the tall teen's eye level. "Resident Sin 5? That's the scariest game of the year. I had to mow down Gizmo just to get the last copy. Please give it back." his voice comes out shaking and unsure of what she would do with his precious item. The girl's lips curve into one of her rare smirks.

"Teach me how to play this game and we'll call it even."


End file.
